Inference of gravitational field superposition from quantum measurements

Overstreet, Chris; Curti, Joseph; Kim, Minjeong; Asenbaum, Peter; Kasevich, Mark A.; Giacomini, Flaminia

doi:10.1103/physrevd.108.084038

Title: Inference of gravitational field superposition from quantum measurements

Journal Article · 17 October 2023 · Physical Review. D.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.108.084038 · OSTI ID:2204658

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^[2]; Asenbaum, Peter ^[3];

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Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States)
Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna (Austria)
Perimeter Inst. for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, ON (Canada); Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich (Switzerland)

Experiments are beginning to probe the interaction of quantum particles with gravitational fields beyond the uniform-field regime. In nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, the gravitational field in such experiments can be written as a superposition state. Here, we empirically demonstrate that semiclassical theories of gravity can avoid gravitational superposition states only by decoupling the gravitational field energy from the quantum particle’s time evolution. Furthermore, such theories must specify a preferred quantum reference frame in which the equations of motion are valid. To the extent that these properties are theoretically implausible, recent experiments provide indirect evidence that gravity has quantum features. Proposed experiments with superposed gravitational sources would provide even stronger evidence that gravity is nonclassical.

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Research Organization:: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP); USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-07CH11359

OSTI ID:: 2204658

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2202734

Report Number(s):: FERMILAB-PUB-22-434-SQMS-V; arXiv:2209.02214; oai:inspirehep.net:2147152; TRN: US2406853

Journal Information:: Physical Review. D., Vol. 108, Issue 8; ISSN 2470-0010

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
experimental studies of gravity
quantum entanglement
quantum gravity
quantum sensing
atom interferometry

Title: Inference of gravitational field superposition from quantum measurements

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